1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for providing food shelf-life information using a time-temperature integrator (TTI) and a method for providing food shelf-life information using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for providing food shelf-life information using a TTI and a method for providing food shelf-life information using the same, which can accurately match an indication value indicated by the TTI and a remaining shelf-life of a food.
2. Background of the Invention
Due to changes in social conditions, and the diversification, advancement, and simplification of food, the interest in safe and convenient food supply systems has increased. People tend to prefer high quality food with the perception of the quality and safety of food beyond the existing quantitative food consumption pattern.
Moreover, as the desire for the quality of the food increases, the need to predict changes in the quality of the food in a scientific manner is required, and in order to improve its competitiveness, it is necessary to minimize the change in the quality of the food during distribution.
To this end, as part of research aimed at predicting the change in the quality of the food with economic costs, the use of time-temperature integrators (TTI) in the distribution of a variety of foods such as seafood, fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, etc. has recently been reported.
The time-temperature integrator refers to a kind of sensor that quantitatively indicates the history of accurate time and temperature that the food experiences during storage and transport, and general TTIs are used to predict the quality of the food from a color change due to the time and temperature history.
These TTIs have advantage that the time and temperature history of perishable foods can be easily monitored and the monitoring can be performed at low costs.
In order that the prediction results of the TTI have sufficient confidence, it is required that the TTI be attached to a food in the initial stage when the corresponding food goes through the distribution process and the reaction of the TTI be initiated.
However, in the current food distribution system, the food is exposed to various temperature environments for a predetermined time before the TTI is attached to the food. Accordingly, it was not easy for the food and the TTI to have the same time and temperature history after the TTI is attached to the food and the reaction of the TTI is initiated.
For this reason, even though the TTI is attached to the food, the indication value of the TTI does not match the substantial time and temperature history of the food to which the TTI is attached, and thus the indication value is not reliable, which is problematic.